Ep 20. Group Home

Barney Miller season 3 episode 20 is named Group Home. In this episode, the precinct is handed an unusual assignment of taking care of a rebellious teen named Jamie who has been causing trouble at his group home. Barney and the team are tasked with keeping a close eye on the troubled teen until his parents arrive in town to pick him up.

Barney and the gang quickly learn that Jamie's rebellious behavior stems from the fact that he has been forced to live in a group home, away from his family and friends. Despite their initial annoyance at having to babysit a difficult teenager, Barney and the team start to take an interest in Jamie's life and try to make his stay in the precinct as comfortable as possible.

The precinct officers try to engage Jamie in small talk and learn more about his passions and interests. They soon discover that Jamie has an uncanny talent for drawing and art. To help him pass the time, Barney provides Jamie with paper and colored pencils, and he is thrilled to have something to occupy his time.

As the episode progresses, Barney and the gang's opinion of Jamie changes significantly. They realize that he is not just a troublesome kid, but actually, someone who has been dealt a difficult hand in life. Barney and the team find themselves wanting to help him and make his stay in the precinct as comfortable as possible.

However, things take a turn for the worse when Jamie's parents finally arrive at the precinct. They are disinterested in their son's welfare and are only concerned with getting him back to the group home. Jamie balks at the idea of returning to the isolated world of the group home, and the officers are left in a difficult position of trying to do what is best for the troubled teenager.

In the end, Barney and the gang come through for Jamie. They use all their resources to help him, and he is finally placed in a loving home outside of the group home system.

The Group Home episode of Barney Miller is an emotional and heartwarming one. It depicts the harsh realities of the group home system and how it affects young children who are placed in the care of strangers. Through their interactions with Jamie, Barney and the team show that they are not just cops but also human beings with empathy and compassion.